Orb Weaver spiders, or the Araneidae family, come in a variety of shapes and styles. some are colorful and pretty. Others are dark and almost scary looking. The Araneus saevus species falls into the dark and almost scary category. They are dark brown to black in color, with legs that are striped dark and light. The legs have lots of "spikes" coming out of them. The abdomen has a slash of white on it.

This araneus was seen in our living room, and he's not in great shape. He's missing a leg and his abdomen is VERY shrunken. He was about the size of a quarter. He was also very shy. He was active and alert until we caught him - and then once fully in the light he "played dead" in a convincing manner. I was sure that we'd given him a heart attack or something. He simply would not move. Then later when back in the dark he was active and alert again. Very impressive.

Conquering Your Fear of Spiders
Do spiders cause you stress? Many cultures treasure spiders as bringing luck and wealth! Learn to conquer your fear of spiders. Bring serenity and joy into your life. It all starts with the first step!